Longyearbyen

ABOVE: Foundation posts from Gamle
Longyearbyen, or Old Longyearbyen, which was burned to the ground by the German
armed forces in World War II. INSET BELOW: A "snøscooter"
parking sign.

Longyearbyen photos

On this page and the 20 pages that follow, you'll find pictures
of scenes from Longyearbyen. In many cases, the captions expand on information
in this article.

Note: Longybearbyen is more attractive at close range
than it is in photographs. The seemingly brown and drab landscape is covered
with lichens and other vegetation, buildings are mostly well-maintained, and the
shopping district has a modern, prosperous, well-kept look. (Just try to ignore
the parked snowmobiles that litter the town's parking lots and back yards.) I
suspect that the town is at its prettiest in winter, when the slopes of the
valley are covered with snow and the colorful houses stand out against the white
landscape.